Pathos and Pastoralism: Aristotle’s Rhetoric in Medieval England

My argument will take its departure from a poignant and powerful piece of manuscript evidence that links Aristotle’s Rhetoric with the poetic effects of Piers Plowman (the great English poem of the 14th century). This evidence opens a window onto what the Rhetoric meant to readers in medieval England, and how it was appreciated for its systematic, rhetorical approach to the passions.  I will suggest that the Rhetoric was a catalyst acting upon two already familiar discourses, poetry and preaching, to tap their common potential as the key repositories of knowledge about audience emotions.

The talk will begin at 4:30pm in room 402 in Cohen Hall, located at 249 South 36^th Street.